1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a connector plug, and more particularly relates to a multi-contact connector plug for transmitting and receiving electric signals and supplying electrical power by being connected to a mated receptacle in other electronic devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 6 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of a conventional connector plug used for making connections between electronic devices. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a part of a shielding cover of the conventional connector plug.
As shown in FIG. 6, this conventional connector plug 50 is constructed from a shielding cover 52 made of metal, a plurality of contacts arranged inside the shielding cover 52 for making contact with a plurality of contacts provided in a mated receptacle (connector socket), and a contact holding member 51 for holding the contacts inside the shielding cover in the width direction of the connector plug 50.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the shielding cover 52 includes an outer tubular body 53 and an inner tubular body 58 having a smaller diameter than that of the outer tubular body 53. These outer and inner tubular bodies 53 and 58 are formed by bending a metal plate having a predetermined shape.
In more detail, the outer tubular body 53 is formed into an angular tube shape having four surfaces which include a top surface portion 54, side surface portions 56, 56, and a bottom surface portion 55. The tip part of the bottom surface portion 55 of the outer tubular body 53 is integrally formed with a bottom surface portion 61 of the inner tubular body 58 through a continuous connecting part 62 as described later. Further, the tip part of the top surface portion 54 is formed into a downward-wall 57 by bending the tip part substantially vertically to the other part of the top surface portion 54.
The inner tubular body 58 is also formed into an angular tube shape having four surfaces which include a top surface portion 59, side surface portions 60, 60, and a bottom surface portion 61. As described above, the base end part of the bottom surface portion 61 is integrally formed with the bottom surface portion 55 of the outer tubular body 53 through the continuous connecting part 62 as described above. Further, the base end part of the top surface portion 59 of the inner tubular body 58 is formed into an upward-wall 63 by bending the base end part 58 substantially vertically to the other part of the top surface portion 59.
In the conventional connector plug 50, as shown in FIG. 7, a relative positional relationship between the tip part of the outer tubular body 53 and the base end part of the inner tubular body 58 is maintained by simply engaging the downward-wall 57 of the top surface portion 54 of the outer tubular body 53 with the upward-wall 63 of the top surface portion 59 of the inner tubular body 58.
However, such a structure of the conventional connector plug has a problem in that the tip part of the inner tubular body 58 tends to be displaced upwardly when an external force acts on the connector plug from below in FIG. 7 so that the continuous connecting part 62 is liable to be inwardly deformed, since the relative positional relationship between the tip part of the outer tubular body 53 and the base end part of the inner tubular body 58 is maintained by simply engaging the downward-wall 57 of the top surface portion 54 of the outer tubular body 53 with the upward-wall 63 of the top surface portion 59 of the inner tubular body 58 as described above.
In view of the problem described above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector plug having a simple structure which makes it possible to fixedly couple a first tubular body and a second tubular body so that deformation is hard to occur in a continuous connecting part between these tubular bodies.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention is directed to a connector plug which includes a metallic shielding cover including a first tubular body having a tip side and a second tubular body having a base side, the base side of the second tubular body being partially connected to the tip side of the first tubular body through a continuous connecting part; a plurality of contacts arranged in the shielding cover; and means for fixedly coupling the second tubular body to the first tubular body, the coupling means including at least one aperture provided in one of the first and second tubular bodies, at least one projection provided in the other tubular body so as to engage with the aperture, and means for locking the engagement between the aperture and the projection.
In the connector plug of the present invention described above, it is preferred that the at least one aperture is provided in the tip side of the first tubular body and the at least one projection is provided in the base side of the second tubular body.
Further, it is also preferred that the at least one projection has a tip part which extends through the aperture, in which the locking means is provided by bending the tip part of the projection.
Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the first tubular body is integrally formed with the second tubular body through the continuous connecting part, and the coupling means is provided on substantially the opposite side of the continuous connecting part.
Furthermore, it is also preferred that the at least one projection is integrally formed with the second tubular body.
Moreover, it is also preferred that the second tubular body is formed by folding a metallic plate member into a predetermined angular tube shape such that opposite edges thereof are in abutment with each other to form a joint.
Preferably, the joint of the second tubular body has a protruding engaging part at the base side thereof, and the at least one projection includes two projections provided on the engaging part in a spaced manner, and the at least one aperture includes two apertures which engage with the two projections, respectively.
Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the coupling means further includes positioning means which is used when the projections are engaged with the apertures.
Preferably, the positioning means includes a projection formed on the engaging part of the second tubular body, and an aperture formed on the tip side of the first tubular body to which the projection is fitted.
More preferably, the projection of the positioning means is formed from a pair of pieces integrally formed with the opposite edges in the joint of the second tubular body.
Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the first tubular body has a step portion at the tip side thereof, and the at least one aperture is formed in the step portion.
Furthermore, the present invention is also directed to a connector plug which includes a metallic shielding cover which includes a first tubular body having a tip side and a second tubular body having a base side, the base side of the second tubular body being partially connected to the tip side of the first tubular body through a continuous connecting part; a plurality of contacts arranged in the shielding cover; and means for fixedly coupling the second tubular body to the first tubular body, the coupling means providing an undisplaceable firm locking between the tip side of the first tubular body and the base side of the second tubular body at a location substantially opposite to the location of the continuous connecting part.
Preferably, the coupling means includes at least one aperture provided in one of the first and second tubular bodies and at least one projection provided in the other tubular body, in which the undisplaceable firm locking is provided by the engagement between the projection and the aperture.
More preferably, the coupling means further includes means for locking the engagement between the aperture and the projection.
Further, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the projection includes a tip part which extends through the aperture, in which the locking means is provided by bending the tip part of the projection.
As has been described, according to the connector plug of the present invention, the connector plug has a simple structure which makes it possible to fixedly couple the first tubular body and the second tubular body so that deformation is hard to occur in the continuous connecting part between these tubular bodies.
These and other objects, structures and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment when it is considered taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.